What to Do With a Tag You Can't Use

The Background
Every year, I put in for a variety of tags across the U.S. in hopes of drawing one so I can hunt somewhere other than at home. I’ve always wondered what I’d do if I drew a bunch of tags in the same year—well, this year I found out.

The Dilemma
Like many of you, my days off are numbered and my family is young—I don’t have unlimited time to hunt my way across the country the way I'd like to. I decided that I could combine two of my hunts into one, and managed to work in a third hunt where I’ll have a rare Arizona elk tag. But that pushed my days off to the absolute limit. All was well until a Wyoming antelope tag turned up in the mailbox. What now?

The Solution
As much as I hated to have spent $500 on a tag that I couldn’t use, it pained me more to know that it would go to waste. I called the state of Wyoming and they let me know about a program that allows hunters to donate their tags for use by wounded veterans or non-veteran disabled hunters. I will gladly hand my tag over to someone who shed their blood for our nation or someone who can’t get around the outdoors as well as others. I filled out this form and enclosed it with my tag. According to the Wyoming Game and Fish Department’s website, mine was one of 11 buck antelope tags donated this season. Other states have similar programs, so if you have a tag that you can’t use, pick up the phone and see whether you can put it to good use.